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Development as Diffusion: Manufacturing Productivity and Sub-Saharan Africa’s Missing Middle - Working Paper 357

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  • Alan Gelb, Christian Meyer, and Vijaya Ramachandran
Abstract
We consider economic development of Sub-Saharan Africa from the perspective of slow convergence of productivity, both across sectors and across firms within sectors. Why have “productivity enclaves”, islands of high productivity in a sea of smaller low-productivity firms, not diffused more rapidly? We summarize and analyze three sets of factors: First, the poor business climate, which constrains the allocation of production factors between sectors and firms. Second, the complex political economy of business-government relations in Africa’s small economies. Third, the distribution of firm capabilities. The roots of these factors lie in Africa’s geography and its distinctive history, including the legacy of its colonial period on state formation and market structure.

Suggested Citation

  • Alan Gelb, Christian Meyer, and Vijaya Ramachandran, 2014. "Development as Diffusion: Manufacturing Productivity and Sub-Saharan Africa’s Missing Middle - Working Paper 357," Working Papers 357, Center for Global Development.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgd:wpaper:357
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Olivier Cadot & Jaime de Melo & Patrick Plane & Laurent Wagner & Martha Tesfaye Woldemichael, 2016. "Industrialisation et transformation structurelle : l’Afrique subsaharienne peut-elle se développer sans usines ?," Revue d’économie du développement, De Boeck Université, vol. 24(2), pages 19-49.
    3. Takahashi, Motoki, 2017. "Enterprise promotion in the road construction sector in a conflict-ridden area in Kenya : a solution for the nexus of developmental problems?," IDE Discussion Papers 670, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    4. Dani Rodrik, 2018. "An African Growth Miracle?," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(1), pages 10-27.
    5. Kappel, Robert & Pfeiffer, Birte & Reisen, Helmut, 2017. "Compact with Africa: fostering private long-term investment in Africa," IDOS Discussion Papers 13/2017, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    6. Sher Singh Verick, 2016. "Manufacturing and jobs: is India different?," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, Springer;The Indian Society of Labour Economics (ISLE), vol. 59(1), pages 57-84, March.
    7. Franziska Schuenemann & William A. Kerr, 2019. "European Union non-tariff barriers to imports of African biofuels," Agrekon, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(4), pages 407-425, October.
    8. Karl Pauw, 2022. "A review of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs program: implementation, impacts, benefits, and costs," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 14(5), pages 1321-1335, October.
    9. Arnaud Daymard, 2020. "Agricultural Productivity as a Prerequisite of Industrialization: Some New Evidence on Trade Openness and Premature Deindustrialization," THEMA Working Papers 2020-07, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    10. Betty ASSE & Dalila CHENAF-NICET, 2021. "Note on the role of domestic and external demand on the process of premature deindustrialization," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 54, pages 145-160.
    11. Bill Battaile & Mr. Saurabh Mishra, 2015. "Transforming Non-Renewable Resource Economies (NREs)," IMF Working Papers 2015/171, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Manufacturing; Dualism; Firms; Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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